Jeff D. Chapman will host a book signing of his first novel, “Don’t Forget Your Shield,” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Kitchen Essentials in the Russellville City Mall.

The book consists of 20 short stories that begin with Bible scriptures and include questions designed to help young people analyze their own actions.

“Working at Day Spring [Behavioral Health Services] in Russellville, I realized that being a kid today is a lot more complicated than it was when I was growing up,” Chapman said. “When I had kids of my own, it scared me to think that my boys would be sharing classrooms where many disturbing issues were sure to exist.”

Chapman, 47, has worked at the River Valley Medical Center for 31⁄2 years as a therapist with the Phases Program and the Inspirations Program and has been a therapist for more than 15 years. In 2005, he was named Horizon’s National Clinician of the Year.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in social work and in journalism at the University of Louisiana at Monroe and his master’s degree in social work from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

“I’m a Christian and a therapist with a journalism background, so writing a book just seemed natural,” he said.

Chapman said he’s worked on the book, his first, “off and on in my free time” for about three years. The book has been released nationally and is carried by Barnes & Noble and Amazon. Chapman will have copies available to buy at the signing. Paperback copies cost $15 and hardback copies are $23, with all proceeds going to his nonprofit foundation, Shield The World.

Chapman said the foundation’s main objective is to “serve the youth of America along with children in third-world countries.” His book sales have generated $10,000 for the foundation.

The foundation’s first overseas mission trip to Costa Rica and Nicaragua is scheduled for January 2014. The foundation will give food bags to families in need and hand out Christian literature in Spanish during the mission trip.

“Working in orphanages and with the homeless has given me a great passion to do what I can to improve their quality of life in the name of God,” Chapman said. “My hope is that the book will reach many.”